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According to Le Monde they did:

Graphic of Support for Hamas

But a quick search didn't find any statements. So who in Iraq declared support for Hamas, and in what terms?

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  • The edit is very helpful. Thanks Evan.
    – ohwilleke
    Commented Nov 29, 2023 at 23:20

3 Answers 3

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The source for your image is the Le Monde article The West and areas of the Global South divided over Palestine, which doesn't give any further reference to the source of the infographic's data than "the geopolitics website Le Grand Continent".

I believe the publication Le Monde's infographic is pulling from is the GC infographic published here, which classifies Iraq as "Support for Hamas". The justification provided for that classification is this statement published around midday on October 7th by the Iraqi Prime Minister, the beginning of which reads:

Iraq affirms its firm position, as a people and a government, towards the Palestinian issue, and that it stands by the Palestinian people in achieving their aspirations and obtaining their full legitimate rights, and that injustice and the usurpation of these rights cannot produce sustainable peace. The operations carried out today by the Palestinian people are the natural result of the systematic oppression they have suffered since ancient times at the hands of the Zionist occupying authority, which has never adhered to international resolutions and the UN.

While the statement doesn't explicitly state that "Iraq supports Hamas", in another article specifically looking at the international responses from Arab and Muslim countries to the war, GC states that:

The Iraqi communiqué is one of the most favourable texts to Hamas that have been published since October 7. In this way, the government is in the continuity of its anti-Zionist policy - and this, despite the numerous upheavals which have affected the Iraqi State in 65 years - since 1948.

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    Comments have been moved to chat; please do not continue the discussion here. Before posting a comment below this one, please review the purposes of comments. Comments that do not request clarification or suggest improvements usually belong as an answer, on Politics Meta, or in Politics Chat. Comments continuing discussion may be removed.
    – ohwilleke
    Commented Nov 29, 2023 at 18:51
  • Interestingly what set apart that statement from some other was also the lack of any call for ceasefire, although reportedly Al-Sudani later did that in Cairo usip.org/publications/2023/11/… Commented Nov 30, 2023 at 0:05
  • @Fizz the calls for a ceasefire were only abundant when the violence became grossly and indefensibly disproportionate. The above quote was midday, on day #1. Commented Nov 30, 2023 at 14:30
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The Prime Minister of Iraq has supported Hamas after the attack on October 7, 2023:

On the day of Hamas’s attack, the Iraqi government issued a statement reaffirming Baghdad’s unwavering commitment to the Palestinian cause. It blamed Israel for the consequences of the attack as “a natural result of the systematic oppression they have been subjected to since ancient times at the hands of the Zionist [Israel] occupation authority.” It emphasized that Iraq stands with the Palestinian people in their pursuit of legitimate rights and unequivocally condemned any injustices and usurpations that obstruct the path to Palestinian statehood.

Iraq is at a crossroads. Will it choose its Shia militias or relations with the US? - Atlantic Council

The above source quotes this post (translated from Arabic by Google):

@IraqiPMO

The operations carried out by the Palestinian people today are a natural result of the systematic oppression they have been subjected to since ancient times at the hands of the Zionist occupation authority, which has never adhered to international and UN resolutions. Therefore, we call on the international community to take action to put an end to the serious violations and restore the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. Who still suffers from occupation, policies of racial discrimination, siege, transgression of sacred things, and violation of humanitarian values ​​and principles.

@IraqiPMO / The Official Account of the Iraqi Prime Minister Media Office, X/Twitter, 8:27 AM · Oct 7, 2023.


The head of the Iraqi Shiite armed group of Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq, Qais Al-Khazali, expressed support of Hamas as well.

In a rare visit, a Hamas delegation arrived in Baghdad on Oct. 27 at the invitation of Iraqi Shiite armed groups. [...] The Hamas delegation’s visit took place at the invitation of some Shiite armed groups loyal to the Iran-led ‘Axis of Resistance’—including Harakat Hezbollah Al-Nujaba and Kata’ib Hezbollah.

The Hamas members met with the former secretary-general of Kata’ib Hezbollah, Abdulaziz (Abu Fadak) Al-Muhammadawi, who currently serves as chief of staff of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU). The visiting Palestinians additionally met with the head of Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq, Qais Al-Khazali. Of note, Khazali on Oct. 10 spoke with Haniyeh, expressing his “utmost readiness for any effort to liberate Al-Quds [Jerusalem] and support the Palestinian people.”

Inside story: The Hamas delegation’s rare visit to Iraq | Amwaj.media


Kataib Hezbollah (the most secretive and most powerful of the Iraqi resistance groups) military spokesperson Jaafar al-Husseini expressed support as well:

In Iraq, Israel’s war on Palestine has regalvanized armed factions that formed in the wake of the 2003 U.S. invasion, an anti-occupation cause they see as directly linked to the Palestinian struggle for freedom. In just the last 24 hours, there have been several engagements between Iraqi militants and U.S. forces.

In his Baghdad office, Kataib Hezbollah military spokesperson Jaafar al-Husseini arrived for our meeting at the end of October in an upbeat mood that seemed at odds with the bloodshed that engulfed the region since October 7. “To the contrary, this is the easiest of times,” he explained. “This is a straightforward battle. Palestine is the fundamental issue.”

Kataib Hezbollah is the most secretive and most powerful of the Iraqi resistance groups. Although they’ve been partly incorporated into the government security apparatus as part of what Iraqi officials describe as a gradual demobilization — critics call it state capture at the hands of Iranian proxies — they relapse into violence during times of perceived Western meddling. The Pentagon’s recent decision to deploy aircraft carriers and personnel to the Middle East was taken as evidence of direct U.S. involvement in the Israel–Palestine conflict.

“America is a partner in this battle and in killing Palestinians, and therefore, they must pay the price,” al-Husseini said. “What is happening now in terms of targeting American bases is a natural response of the resistance fighters.”

America’s Unwavering Support for Israel Fuels Iran-Backed “Axis of Resistance”


Finally, the ordinary Iraqis expressed support:

Iraqi boy supports Palestinians

An Iraqi boy carries a picture of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a protest in Baghdad, October 20, 2023, to express their support of the Palestinian people amid the ongoing battles between Israel and Palestinian groups. (AFP)

Will Israel-Hamas war in Gaza drag Iraq back into quagmire of conflict?

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    0 evidence for the claim the state of Iraq supports Hamas in the top quote, and the bottom quote is no more to the point then America supports white supremacy because David Duke says so. Commented Nov 30, 2023 at 17:02
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    @EvanCarroll Why 0 evidence? The quote says "the Iraqi government issued a statement reaffirming Baghdad’s unwavering commitment to the Palestinian cause. It blamed Israel for the consequences of the attack". Commented Nov 30, 2023 at 17:21
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    @EvanCarroll The bottom quote directly answers the Q from the OP: "So who in Iraq declared support for Hamas, and in what terms?" The A is: "The head of the Iraqi Shiite armed group". The OP does not specify that the supporter should be in the Iraqi government. Commented Nov 30, 2023 at 17:23
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    @EvanCarroll I added more references to support my answer. Hopefully, they address your comments. As for your interpretation of the OP's question, unfortunately, I did not find your arguments very convincing. The head of a powerful armed group receiving a high-level delegation from one of the world's most well-known terrorist organizations (Hamas) is not exactly "Ahmad the kunafeh baker on 7th Street". This argument just does not hold water. Commented Nov 30, 2023 at 17:47
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    @YouDontSay I think my answer addresses the overarching main point: broad swaths of Iraqi people from very powerful top to the moderately powerful middle to the kids at the bottom support Hamas. Conversely, I have not seen much in terms of support for Israel in Iraq (but plenty of support for Israel in the US). Commented Nov 30, 2023 at 18:09
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Iraq never supported October 7

Since some of these sources are being very selectively read, I'll cite this with the counter case https://amwaj.media/article/inside-story-the-hamas-delegation-s-rare-visit-to-iraq

It claims that far from the Iraqi state supporting Hamas, Hamas came to Iraq to embarrass the state and was only hosted by a sectarian paramilitary group there,

Speaking on condition of anonymity as he was unauthorized to publicly comment on the matter, one source affiliated with Sudani’s media office told Amwaj.media that the invitation for Hamas to visit Baghdad is seen as an attempt to embarrass the Iraqi government. Characterizing the invitation as having little to do with the Palestinian cause, the source claimed that the visit was essentially payback for Sudani and some of his allies in the Iran-backed Shiite Coordination Framework having “rejected” the “demands to acquire sensitive security positions ” by some Shiite armed groups.

Why is it an embarrassment? Because Iraq has been working against the militant groups responding to Israel's brutality by defending American assets,

enter image description here

Even going as so far as, from what's said in leaked documents, to redistributing domestic resources to assist in the defense,

On the other hand, alleged documents attributed to the Iraqi defense ministry that have been circulating on social media speak of the need to redistribute and secure arms depots, redistribute aircraft among bases, secure means of transportation for senior officials as well as communications equipment, and activate efforts by the intelligence services to deter any possible threats. These alleged instructions, if true, indicate that the Iraqi government may be preparing for a confrontation.


Also, let's review the statement by Iraq,

Iraq affirms its firm position, as a people and a government, towards the Palestinian issue, and that it stands by the Palestinian people in achieving their aspirations and obtaining their full legitimate rights, and that injustice and the usurpation of these rights cannot produce sustainable peace. The operations carried out today by the Palestinian people are the natural result of the systematic oppression they have suffered since ancient times at the hands of the Zionist occupying authority, which has never adhered to international resolutions and the UN.

  • Hamas isn't mentioned once.
  • The term "natural": as a mater of fact, by definition, "natural" in this context doesn't mean "moral". Moral is prescriptive, it describes how people ought to behave. Natural is how they do behave. Iraq is saying that given the circumstance of occupation the people are naturally and predictably acting as you would expect. It is reasonable to state that Iraq views Hamas not acting with agency but out of condition, in the same way a dog will likely respond with aggression if you step on their tail -- regardless of intent.
  • "Support for the Palestinians": even when a state commits an atrocity, it's unlikely other allies drop support for the "people" or the cause. When Israel committed the Sabra and Shatila massacre, how many western countries removed their support for the people of Israel or Zionism (Jewish nationalism)? How many countries dropped support for the people of South Korea after the Jeju massacre? This is an unreasonable expectation. While you may want to read into "support for the people" as "support for the atrocity" these are distinct statements.
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